


Café Cortado

by atlaswho



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, coffee shop AU, gay boys drink coffee and lots of butterfly references
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-22
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-18 08:16:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2341397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atlaswho/pseuds/atlaswho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin doesn't drink coffee. Macchiato? Was that some sort of disease? The barista was hot, the drinks were impossible, and embarrassment was not going to be an option when ordering from the hot coffee magician, no fucking way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. milk

Rin cursed as he left the apartment complex, the cold air clinging unpleasantly to his face. The sky was dull and the breeze got right into his nose, giving him a headache. It wasn’t even fucking 9am yet. He burrowed his nose further into his scarf and strode towards the main road, determined to get out of the cold and to work as soon as physically possible. Barely a week ago he’d been jogging to work in slightly warmer weather, able to warm himself up with gentle excursion and a sweater.

In his younger days, when the weather had been chilly, Rin’s mother would have treated him to a small cup of warm milk to start the day; tea had been too bitter for him at that age. He remembered the way it sat in his belly, warmed him from the inside. How his sister held her own bottle of milk. How he laughed when she fell asleep with it still in her tiny mouth. He must remember to text her after work, he thought as he gripped his phone tighter in his pocket.

A new smell worked its way to Rin’s nose, his attention abruptly returned to the present. He was stood outside a café. Had this always been here? Rin didn’t recognise it, at least. He could smell the pastries being kept warm from inside, the aromas of different teas and coffees wafting outside when someone came out through the door. In their hand was a carefully wrapped cinnamon swirl. Damn. Glancing at his watch, he decided he had enough time to grab something warm. He didn’t want tea; it wasn’t as good if you had it on the go. He didn’t really know the ins and outs of coffee orders, either. The woman in front of him ordered.

“Tall, skinny, extra hot latte please, double shot.” The barista nodded, as if what she had said made perfect sense, scribbling something on the takeout cup in his hand. The barista smiled at the woman, tucking the pen behind his ear. He looked serious, far too serious for a barista, as if what he did was of the utmost importance. He assembled the order with ease, hands moving swiftly across the countertop, only pausing to push his red-rimmed glasses further up his nose. His features were strong, and undeniably handsome, and it was all Rin could do not to stare. As if finishing a performance, the final flourish, the barista sprinkled something on top of the woman’s coffee before handing it to her.

Panic set in. Menu coming into focus, it might as well have been in another language. Macchiato? Was that some sort of disease? The barista was hot, the drinks were impossible, how much cash did he even have on him? Embarrassment was not going to be an option when ordering from the hot coffee magician, no fucking way.

“Sir?” hot barista asked, and Rin’s gaze found his suddenly. Hot barista guy may have had glasses but they only made his eyes look better, if anything.

“What?” Rin snapped. Hot barista raised an eyebrow.

“Are you going to order anything, or are you just appreciating the view?” Hot Barista smirked at him, pushing his glasses up his nose again. Rin scowled through his rapidly growing blush, and thought angrily to himself that he should get better fitting glasses if he’s just going to push them up his nose the whole time.

“Just a black coffee,” he huffed, digging around for his wallet. The barista gave him an incredulous look. When he didn’t write anything down or even respond, Rin felt his cheeks heat up.

“That’s...” he began, waving his hands vaguely, searching for words, “No. I can’t serve you that,” he sounded determined, eyebrows knitted tight.

“Uh...” Rin began awkwardly, unsure of how to respond. He glanced at the man next to him in the queue, who seemed to be trying his hardest not to become involved in the scene before him. _Thanks buddy_ , Rin thought, _I’ll save you a seat in hell_. “Listen man,” he began, “I don’t do fancy coffee, so just... give me whatever. Black coffee is fine.”

Hot Barista Magician looked deeply offended. Rin didn’t enjoy the scrutiny, especially coming from him and his stupidly gorgeous eyes, and _especially_ since he looked so affronted. He wanted the world to swallow him whole. He wanted warm milk out of a sippy cup and never to interact with an attractive person ever again. Without warning, Coffee Wizard started scribbling something on a takeout cup.

“Coffee can be beautiful when done right,” he said, not looking up at Rin as he jabbed at the cash register in front of him. Whether he was actually speaking to Rin or not didn't seem to matter, as he turned and swiftly began to assemble his drink.

Rin watched as he got to work, deep in concentration. His fingers wavered over three differently labelled bags, lingering over one for a brief moment, before deciding otherwise and grabbing the adjacent one. There was a flurry of steam and different liquids being poured here and there, and paused only once, turning his firm gaze back onto Rin. He stared for a moment, regarding Rin carefully, before turning back and sprinkling something on top of his coffee. Satisfied, he carefully placed the top on the cup and handed it to Rin. He began to ask how much, and opened his wallet, when he was silenced by a non committal gesture.

“Think of this as an experiment. It’s on me.” He pushed his glasses back into place, and gave Rin one last sidelong glance, before turning to serve the next customer.

Rin stood outside the coffee shop for at least a full minute. Coffee in hand, mouth slightly agape, and mind a million miles away, he tried to catch up with what just happened. Had Hot Barista Wizard been flirting with him? How could Rin’s game have fallen so hard in the spans of five minutes? Turning to continue his journey to work, he convinced himself that it was a mixture of tiredness and weird coffee language that had thrown him off. But this was not over. He was prepared. Rin knew what to expect now. Next time he would flirt the glasses right off of Hot Barista Wizard’s face.

The way he'd had been so careful, so exact with everything he did when he was making coffee had been hypnotising. The way his hands danced over the equipment, his slight pout as he worked. He was so tall too. His shoulders had been broad, and his posture perfect; even his chin was held high, carefully balanced on his neck. Rin imagined what it would be like to see him utterly undone. He shivered pleasantly and shook the thought off.

Without thinking, he carefully pulled the top off of the coffee. He wanted to witness the masterpiece first hand. The foam of the coffee was dense, smooth, pure white. Sprinkled on top was a perfectly shaped butterfly. Not a speck of dust out of place. Rin almost felt bad when he took a sip, disturbing the perfect set on top. It was the perfect blend of bitter and sweet, wholly flavoursome. He knew Hot Barista Wizard must have clocked that he needed something mild to ease him into the coffee world properly. The familiar warm feeling began to rise in his belly as he sipped, careful not to burn his tongue.

Rin glanced down at what was written on the side. Next to the word ‘cappuccino’ there was a careful cross, and the letter ‘M’ written neatly underneath. He assumed that meant milk. Rin didn’t try and hide his smile as he took another sip, relishing the taste, working through the flavour in his mind. Hot Barista Wizard was right, black coffee wasn’t for him.


	2. cookie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin pretended that he didn’t jog all the way down the high street, across the train tracks, and up a hill, only to find himself outside of yesterday’s discovery on purpose.

Rin flexed his fingers, splaying them out first, then drawing them back in, only to stretch them out again. Hot Coffee Magician’s hands had been delicate, but firm. Rin was trying to achieve a similar aesthetic. He figured at the right angle, he could make his hands look just as long and dainty, but strong. He then experimented with props; books, packets of ramen, the laundry, but like an effortless plié, Rin knew only practise could weave such a gorgeous gesture.

Nitori elected not to ask when he caught Rin’s fingers daintily draping over their toothbrushes before he picked his own abused one.

Every Wednesday, Rin had a morning off, and more often than not used that time to catch up on his fitness. This jarred Nitori, and he silently wished one day Rin would see the sense in utilising his time to do the fucking laundry. He feared the day may never come.

Rin wasn’t a fan of jogging in the cold weather, because the cold air just hit you harder and faster. However, the colder it was, the harder he worked, so he figured it was a fair compromise. The sun was bright and provided no warmth, but the crunching of leaves underfoot was satisfying, and there were fewer people in the park to get in his way. Rin pretended that he didn’t jog all the way down the high street, across the train tracks, and up a hill, only to find himself outside of yesterday’s discovery on purpose. He grinned to himself, satisfied that he was prepared this time, utterly determined not to be thrown off by Italian bean juice. He silently thanked Nitori for his eclectic taste, and Google for being there for him no matter what.

Hot Coffee Wizard was reaching into the cabinet, pulling out a delicately organised and flawlessly glazed fruit tart. He slid it carefully with the tip of his finger onto the plate, and Rin could only roll his eyes. It was as if this guy knew his movements were fascinating and was putting on some weird culinary performance. Rin was next in line, and Hot Barista Magician looked almost surprised to see him again. He pretended that he hadn’t put his hair in a ponytail with extra care this morning because he knew Hot Barista would see it because _this was all a huge coincidence._

 “I see my little experiment was a success,” Hot Barista stated, looking somewhat smug.

“You could say that,” Rin replied, challenging his gaze.  Barista Wizard huffed, adjusting his glasses, and raised an eyebrow.

“So what can I get for you today?” he asked. Hot Barista was rising to the challenge. It was a battle of wits. Rin whipped out his wildcard, dominating the deck, in his own mind.

“Surprise me.”

Hot Barista Wizard scoffed and shook his head, pursing his lips as he regarded Rin carefully. Rin could see the wheels turning, but aside from that his eyes betrayed nothing that resembled admiration, or disgust, or even amusement. His eyes were narrowed, brows knitted and lips slightly downturned. That was as far as his expression went, and Rin found it infuriating. How dare this man not give himself away? God, how was Rin supposed to keep his cool when this guy looked so damn _alluring_ and _uninterested_? His hair framed his perfectly structured face, accentuating his cheek bones, highlighting his strong and defined jaw. Rin imagined how his skin would taste, how he would quiver as Rin tasted his pulse, feeling it quicken against his lips.

“--syrup?”

Rin realised too late that he had been talking, and abruptly apologised, looking literally anywhere except Mr. Cappuccino. The barista carefully repeated himself, a small smirk on his lips.

“Are you allergic to syrup?” he asked again, talking only just slow enough for it to be insulting. Rin frowned, and shook his head in response. Hot Barista nodded, jabbing at his cash register.

“I’ll eat in,” Rin said suddenly, before Hot Barista could pick up a takeout cup. “And I’ll take one of these,” he said, pointing vaguely towards a plate of cookies in the display, in the shape of butterflies. Hot Barista looked at Rin for a brief moment, nodding slowly as he took one out for him.

“Good choice,” he mumbled. Rin flashed him a toothy grin, and Hot Barista avoided his gaze. He even looked a little embarrassed. Rin was pleased; his choice had not been in vain, and the gesture didn’t fly right over Hot Barista’s head.  

Rin paid by card; he hated running with loose change. It was a bad idea and the noise was just as irritating as the constant bump against his hip. Hot Barista took his card, and swiped it for him, stealing a glance at the name.

“I’ll bring your order over to you, Matsuoka-san,” he said politely. Rin took the cookie to a seat at the back, settling down in the comfy chair, turning his gaze out onto the street. He was a little disappointed that he didn’t get to watch Coffee Wizard work his magic, but he could appreciate the creation in peace this time.

As if on cue, Hot Barista arrived, presenting him with a small mug. Rin got a good look at him now that he was away from the counter, and _my God._ Those legs went on for _miles_. His posture was perfect and he moved elegantly; with purpose and grace.

_Maybe he’s a dancer._

He set the coffee down before Rin, who sat up quickly to examine it. Once again, the coffee had thick, pleasantly smooth foam on top. This time, however, instead of a dusting on top, there was a delicate pattern in the discoloured foam. It swirled and looked almost like a leaf. Rin was certain it was a leaf. Only Smokin’ Coffee Man would draw a leaf in his foam.

“You always do doodles in your drinks?” Rin asked, grinning up at the man before him. He let out a harsh breath, an aborted laugh, and adjusted his glasses.

“Latte Art is a requirement for making good coffee.” he replied simply, as if this was elementary level knowledge. They exchanged a glance, and Rin found there was something familiar in his eyes, as if they were old friends reliving a daily ritual; as if this was the most natural thing in the world. Old friends chatting and poking fun at one another. Rin took in a slow breath, holding his gaze. His eyes were steady as he spoke. “This is Caffé Mocha. Something a little sweeter to replenish your energy, as you’ve obviously exerted yourself doing some form of exercise.” He spoke coolly, smiled politely.

“What gave me away?” Rin clutched his chest, pursing his lips, like a housewife caught shamelessly flirting with the busboy. Coffee Magician rolled his eyes and turned to return to the counter.

“I’m Rei, by the way,” Mr Mocha said suddenly, “And I made those cookies.” He gestured towards the butterfly with a single bite taken from its left wing, and left Rin alone at his table.

Rin drank his coffee slowly. He savoured every sip, revelling in the comforting heat that began to swell under his skin and letting the bittersweet taste linger in his mouth. When he returned home, after making sure to smile at Rei before he left, he thought about the delicate icing on the butterfly cookie. He imagined skilled hands carefully piping the decoration on slowly, taking his time. He wondered what else he baked, if Rin would ever get to try anything of his. He imagined Rei must have a sweet tooth, most bakers did. He wondered if Rei’s house smelled of freshly baked bread, and thought about the nostalgic feeling that accompanied the smell of fresh baked goods.

Nitori was angry at him for not doing the laundry, and Rin promised dryly that he would do it next week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had to ditch so many ideas because I can't make them work here. Good thing I plan on writing more B ) 
> 
> please tell me what you think and kudos are much appreciated!! This is my first multichaptered fic, and I intend to make it work so any comments are greatly appreciated. kissu all uwu


	3. pumpkin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rin had never been a fan of seasonal drinks, nor has he ever had issues with asking people out before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy halloween!!! have a spooky day

Each day that Rin returned to the coffee shop on the corner, he found new things to admire in Rei, the mysterious Master of Coffee. His dark eyes and delicate hands had drawn him in, but there was something tantalizingly interesting about him that Rin couldn’t seem to shake off. He wasn’t one for talking about himself, so much so that all Rin had managed to discern was that he was living alone and thoroughly enjoyed his job, despite the stigma that others may push upon him.

“I take pleasure in what I do,” he had said with a shrug, “what more is there to it?” To which Rin whole heartedly agreed.

Rin admired that in Rei; the sense that he knew what he was about, what he was doing and where he was going. Rin still had no clue. He had ambitions, to swim in whatever way he could, but he didn’t know where to focus his energy. He had this overwhelming feeling that what he was doing was pointless, that he wasn’t actually achieving anything. He’d competed on an Olympic level and now he was here coaching kids with aspirations much bigger than themselves. But Rei sat before him, quite happy to admit that he was comfortable serving coffee to people who looked down on him, because it meant he could continue doing what he loved.

Rin was certain his intentions had been made evident, turning up almost every day that Rei worked, buying the cookies that were just a little too sweet for his taste just to make a point. Rei had reacted as always, with a snarky comment and a killer grin. One day, though, when Rin had gone to pick up his receipt, he saw a number written on the back. After a brisk walk home, hiding his intense blush, Rin had brandished the receipt as a trophy in front of Nitori, who merely rolled his eyes. Nitori was about one anecdote about coffee from snapping, and truth be told he _was_ relieved that something had finally happened.

The next day Rin turned up to the coffee shop after work with a newfound confidence, certain that today would be the day he would ask Rei out. The whole way over, he’d imagined what spending time with him would be like. He imagined Rei making them coffee every morning, the treats he’d make every now and again, and the _great_ sex they’d have. Upon arriving, Rei had smiled sweetly and brought them both drinks and sat with him, just like they normally did on Friday evenings. Rin found himself clutching to his cup for dear life, suddenly incredibly nervous.

“Are you busy Saturday?” Rin blurted, interrupting the comfortable silence that had fallen between the two. Rei threw him a sidelong glance, peering at him over the rim of his glasses. With a small smile on his lips, he turned back to the window and watched as the clouds overhead grew darker.

“No, but I have a feeling I’m about to be,” he set his cup down on the table and turned his full attention to Rin, who felt himself getting a little hot under the collar, “did you have something in mind?”

Rin was stumped for a moment, having not fully thought this through. It was hard to think on the spot with those eyes bearing down on him, that gaze fixed on his as if Rin was the only thing that deserved his attention in that moment. He swallowed and stared into his cup.

“There’s an ice rink set up in the park,” he started steadily, trying his best not to look bashful, “which could be cool, if you were up for it.” He muttered the last park, and angrily took a sip of his drink, which was undeniably delicious once again. With autumn now in full swing, it seemed only fitting that Rei would eventually make him a pumpkin spiced latte. Rin had never been a fan of fad seasonal drinks, only very secretly enjoying peppermint flavoured things at Christmas, but this he couldn’t bring himself to turn his nose up at.

“You didn’t strike me as a figure skater,” Rei mused. Rin looked up, saw that stupid smirk on his face, the gleam in his eyes, and felt himself squirming.

“I’m more of an athlete than you,” Rin huffed, feeling a little smug himself. He met Rei’s gaze, involuntarily puffing out his chest. This didn’t seem to impress him.

“You haven’t seen me on the track.” There was a challenge there, and Rin picked up on it instantly. Friendly competition was something he missed, especially from someone as cocksure as Ryuugazaki, and even more so because it promised more time together away from the café. Rei adjusted his glasses, smiling fondly at him, “It sounds fun. I’d like that,” he concluded.

Rin had hoped that his agreement would settle his anxiety but it seemed to only get worse. Spending time with Rei in a situation neither of them were particularly familiar with brought about opportunities for disaster and embarrassment. Rin wasn’t usually embarrassed easily but Rei was so subtle and coy in his judgement that Rin couldn’t help but sweat under his gaze; particularly because Rei was _unrelentingly hot_ in a way that he probably didn’t even realise.

Either Rei didn’t notice Rin’s increased nervousness or elected to ignore it as he turned back to face the road. It looked particularly cold outside, with the harsh wind blowing dried and crumbling leaves into the air. Rin himself had to use a scarf to cover his nose so he could breathe on the way there. He took a final sip of his drink before using his finger to wipe up excess cream and popped it into his mouth, humming in satisfaction. Rei smiled at him softly, and Rin thought he’d never seen someone look so genuinely pleased in his life. Perhaps, he thought to himself, there was no reason to worry after all.

After they had both finished, Rin agreed to meet Rei at the coffee shop at seven the following evening. Rin had taken his time walking home that evening, a slight spring in his step, as cliché as it was. He had to get it all out of his system before he got back; Nitori wouldn’t listen to anymore stories about “The Guy with The Best Legs and Best Coffee” anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I AM A DISGRACE...... i havent been doing so well recently and i felt like i could function today so i just finished this off im really sorry.................. 
> 
> comments are always appreciated and encouraged!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!! Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated!! I feel like I'm treading new waters with this so your opinions mean a lot to me. Thank u to my bff scott for pushin me through ;) 
> 
> If you're wondering, Café Cortado is a spanish coffee that is especially milky :)


End file.
